It was a long and exhausting train ride. Entering into the city, Ben felt a sudden change of atmosphere
"even the air is different" he thought. As the train moved, he could see parts of the city through the window. It was a small industrial town with lots of tall old buildings. It has always been a busy town with people going about their day. But beyond all the smiling faces and cheerful residents was a truly troubled town with so many horrific stories and rumors.
All the gruesome murders that happened here left the people deeply scarred. Years had passed since the last truly troubling crime, and the town used the calm to distract itself with work and routine. Yet nothing ever fully erased the lingering uneasiness they felt.
Ben knew this all too well, considering it was his home town, the place where he was born and brought up. But Ben left this town years ago hoping that he'd never have to return, unfortunately he was back here again. Something about this case demanded that he return and part of him felt responsible in some capacity, he needed to fix this.
"Whelp, I know my next stop" Ben said as he hopped off the train with a small travelling bag on his shoulder.
"Taxi!" Ben yelled as he hailed a cab.
Shortly after, Ben arrives at a small gloomy apartment in a rundown neighborhood. He steps inside through the front door and scoffs,
"How careless can he be, leaving his front door open like that?"
"You know, breaking into someone's house is considered a crime. Didn't they teach you anything at that fancy school of yours?" said the young man coming from the corner of the hallway. He was skinny, but not in a way that made him look weak—just naturally slim. His looks were somewhere in the middle; not the type to turn heads, but definitely not bad to look at. His green eyes contrasted with the long black hair he wore pulled back into a ponytail, with a couple of rebellious strands falling along the sides of his face.
"Uh it's not breaking in if the door was already open, Ares." Ben replied, gesturing at the door.
"Also, walking through walls isn't exactly 'human' behavior" said Ben as he leans against the wall with folded arms.
The man looks at Ben expressionlessly.
"What are you doing here Ben?" Ares asked with a glaring at him.
"Damn is this how you treat your guests?"
"Answer the goddamn question Ben" Ares snaps, responding in a loud stern voice. His fists clenched tightly, Shadow swallowed the whites of his eyes, leaving his deep green irises floating in the darkness like something not meant to be human.
Seeing the seriousness in his gaze, Ben backs away slowly.
"I know you're still upset about what I did to you and you have every right to be and-"
"Of course I have every right to be angry" Ares interrupts Ben
"You left me here to rot, while you were living your best life in the city"
"No, no, no, that's not what happened" Ben slowly walks toward Ares, hands slightly raised, still measuring his distance.
"I had to be careful. You know how dangerous my family is… If anyone had found out where I was, I would've been a dead man by now"
"That's your excuse for leaving without a word?"
"I'm sorry. I never intended to just leave you behind like that and I know anything I say won't compensate for what I did but I'm really sorry".
Hearing this Ares stops and stares at Ben quietly as the tension lessens and his eyes begin to revert back to normal.
"I should've found a way for you to come with me but i…."
"I knew where you were." Ares interrupted
"What?! How did you-" Ben looking shocked and confused
"I knew you wouldn't move too far from here. You were an easy find"
"You should've said something, " Ben said with a sad look on his face.
"Why should I? There would've been no point dropping by when you didn't want me there in the first place"
"I did, it's just …"
"It doesn't matter anymore Ben, 10 years is such a long time and in that time, I moved on and I'm sure you have too".